First Post (Wheels, springs, fogs, tranny)

[Red96GT]

I just found the site through mustangforums.com and wish I would have found it sooner. I have a completely stock 96 GT that I bought in July.

Everything about it is perfect (32,000 miles), the only thing I'm not super hot on is the 4x4 look and the wheels. I want to keep the "stock" aspect of the car except for some 18x9 and 18x10 saleens (not chrome, I think they're polished??) and 1.5" drop (can I go any lower without the need for caster camber plates or a bumpsteer kit???).

I thought all GT's came with fog lights but my didn't. Would it be worth buying a kit and putting them on?

Also, I usually shift at about 2-2200 rpms which has resulted in some terrible gas mileage (13.6mpg). Where do you guys shift to get the best gas mileage? So I thought maybe I'm bogging it down too much and I should shift higher. Well I backed it out of my driveway and went off down the road. I shifted into second at 2500 and the thing grinded. It felt and sounded awful. I've driven stick long enough to know that my foot was all the way into the floor and I wasn't giving it any gas. Could there be something wrong with my clutch? This isn't the first time it has happened either. Any ideas?

Thanks for the help.

 

[Lightning Struck]

nice stang.........drop that pony . You should be getting better gas milage than you are, but it dont sound like you are shifting at a high rpm so :dunno:

 

[Red96GT]

Yeah, I haven't really gotten into it yet and shift at low rpm's. I couldn't believe how fast that gas gauge went down. :-[

 

[LI98GT]

Wow, I forget how high these cars look stock, and I'm not really too much lower either. So yes, that's the consensus 1.5" is the lowest you can go without c/c plates. Do you have power windows/locks? Seats that are V-6 or GT? The no fogs and waffle rims says to me that you have what was called the 248A package. Basically - a light weight version.

As for the shifting issue, is there an aftermarket shifter or an aftermarket cable adjuster for the clutch installed? Could be the shifter stops adjusted wrong or it could also be synchro is shot in the tranny. A lot of people have had trouble with those cable adjusters as well. You can also try changing out the tranny fluid that might improve the grind.

 

[Rantheman]

because of my cams i don't let my car drop below 2,00 so i shift around 2,800-3,000

 

[Matt94GT]

You shouldnt go lower then 1.5" if you dont want to get CC plates, if you dont mind getting CC plates you can drop down to the 2" range.

 

[Dalamar]

clean looking car! nice low milage too.

wheels and drop will make it look so much different, you'll be happy!

I like the fog lights, you can rewire them to come on without the headlights.
I think it looks good.

Rev that engine up, get it into the power band!
shifting low will burn more fuel, bogging down like you said.


Welcome to the site.

 

[96sohc]

Regarding the fog lights...
I leave mine off all the time. When I have them on I can't tell any difference whatsoever, plus the ligthbulbs burn out too frequently.